Playing apparatus for musical instruments.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

L. B DOMAN. PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1902. I

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 2 VNTOR WITNESSEqf:

- @QTTOR YYS.

} PATENTED MARflB. 1906. I L. B. DOMAN. PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED -MAY 31, 1902 7 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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No. 814,676. PATENTEDMAR. 13, 1906. L. DOMAN. PLAYING'APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY31, 1902.

' 7 SHEETS-SHEET 8,

WITNESSES: H VENTOR' W2 04 TTORNE YS.

PATENTED MAR 13, 1906.

L. B. DOMAN. I PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION'FILED MAY 31, 1902.

7 SETS-SHEET 4.

04 TTORNE YS.

mx /li g xxk 5 w No. 814,676. PATENTBD MAR. 13,1906.

L, B. DOMAN.

' PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1902 7 SHEETS-SHBET 5.

A? ha A V -A 1 /6 I A. //7 #6 w A I A WITNESSES: 4 NTOR ATTORNIEYSQ NO- 814,676. PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

. L. B. DOMAN. PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.,

AP PLIGATION FILED MAY 31. 1902..

' 7 SHEETSSHEET 6.

WITNESSES: div N TOR W I EM. 7

04 TTQRNE YS.

No. 814,676. 'BATENTED MAR. 13, 190

L. B. DOMAN.

PLAYING APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY31. 1902.

' 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

A AA, A W A 11' :1 A I; I 31: A Q T 51" .r A '11 A ir/ A ENTOR.

OQTTORNEYSQ UNITED STATES A ENT oFF oE.

LEWIS B. DOMAN, OF FLBRIDGE, NEW YQRK, ASSIG'NOR TO AMPHION PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF ELBR-IDGE, NEW YORK, A. CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

PLAYIN APPARATUS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March. 13, 1906.

Application filed May 31, 1902. Serial N0. 109,692.

and to thereby reduce the cost of manufacture of this class of a paratus; second, to render. the action of t e key-operating pneumatics more responsive and instantaneous with less mechanism than has heretofore been employed; third, to provide a plurality of separate valve-shelves each inclosin a group of valves and an exhaustcham er common to the valves which it inclos es; fourth, to establish direct communication between the exhaust-chambers through registering windorts, and, fifth, to clamp the shelves toget ier by bolts passing through the re istering wind-ports.

urther objects of my invention'will appear in the description. I

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the parts of a pneumatic playing apparatus, aslffhereinafter fully described, and pomted out in the claims. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete apparatus forming the subject-matter of this invention, portions of the standards being broken away.

igs. 2 and 3 are respectively rear elevation and top plan of the device seen in Fig. 1, portions of the case being broken away in F 1g. 2 and the top wall being removed in Fig. 3 for the purpose of disclosing'the interior construction. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken, res ectively, on line 4 4, Fig. 3, and 5 5, Fig. 2. ig. 6 is a top plan view of the detacheddrivin mechanism for the supporting-rollers of t e musio-sheete'xclusive of the mechanism for reversing the rotation of the rollers. Fig. 7 is a top plan ofthewindin and rewindmg rollers, and the reverserfe ceiving t mechanism therefor. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the reverse-feed mechanism detached.

from the cut-out and driving mechanism. Fig. 9 is an elevation, partly broken away, of one of the supporting-rollers for the musicsheet and its bearings. Fig. 10 is a perspec' tive view of one of the detachedpedal-controlling mechanisms. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view through the lower end of one of the standards and the adjacent portions of the base, showing the means for adjustin the case vertically; Fig. 12'shows the meta valve-stem, adjustable valve-seat, and guide for the stem.

Similar reference characters indicate corres onding parts in all the views.

n carrying out the various objects -of my inventionl employ a supporting -frame or cabinet 1, upon which is mounted amoving music-sheet 2; driving mechanisms for the music-sheet; means for reversing the direction of feed of the music-sheet; air-pumps 3 and 4; an equalizing-bellows 5; a series of separable valve-shel-ves or air-chests 6, 7, and 8; a pluralit of air-ducts 9 and a corresponding numbero secondarykeyoperatin orstriking pneumatics 10 for each air-chest ey-operatmg fingers or hammers 1 1 and 12 actuated by their. respective pneumatics 10; manuallycontrolled edal-operating devices 13 and 14 for control ing the expression of the instrument; means for facihtating the adjustment of the case relative to the instrument for the purpose of alining the fingers or hammers 11 and 12 with the corresponding keys of the musical instrument, and additional means for adjusting the case or cabinet vertically to conform to the various heights of keyboards of different instruments. The cabinet 1 preferably-comprises an inolosing case 15-, having upri ht standards 16 and a supporting-base 17, t 0 case 15 being. provided with a superimposed music-box 18 for receivin the music-sheet and its supportin -rollers, hereinafter described.

he case 15 is formed with a cut-out 20, extendin inwardly' from its rear face for rehe keyboard of the musical instrument and permitting the cabinet to be moved as closely as possible to said keyboard in order that it may occupya-minimum space when in .use,.thefront wall of said case being provided with a panel 21, which' may be readily removed when desired to gain access to the interior mechanism. This case is preferably rectangular in generalplan, is formed with corner-posts 24, the bases of which are formed with sockets 25, extending upwardly from their lower end faces for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. The rear posts or cornerpieces beneath the eut-out are provided with adjustable stop-shoulders 26, consisting of brackets having upwardlyprojecting studs at their upper ends, while their lower ends are formed with slots 27, elongated ver' tioally for receiving clamping screws 28. These stops 26 cooperate with suitable blocks or stops 29, provided on the case of the musical instrument beneath the keyboard and formed with V-shap'ed cut-outs 30, which receive the upwardly-projecting ends of the brackets 26 and limit the inward movement of the cabinet when being placed in operative position relative to the keyboard of the instrument. These stops 26 and V-shaped cut-outs 30 not only serve'to limit the in-- ward movement of the cabinet, but also aline the fingers 11 and 12 with their respective keys and prevent lengthwise or lateral displacement of the cabinet.

The standards 16 are provided at their upper ends-with dowels 30, fitting within the sockets 25, and their lower ends are provided with sockets 31 of substantially the same size as the sockets for receiving studs 32, provided upon the base 17, these studs 32 being.

substantially the same size as the dowels Although these dowels and studs fit closely within their respective sockets, they are readily detachable or removable therefrom for the purpose of producing a knockeddown cabinet, it being understood that when it is desired to transport the cabinet from one place to another the base 17 is removed from the standard 16, and the standards are likewise removed from the upper portion of the cabinet, whereupon the base 17 is moved upwardly, and its studs 32 are inserted in the corresponding sockets 25 of the case 15, and the standards are then placed lengthwise of the cabinet adjacent to the base and fastened in positionin any desired manner for transportation. I

hen the apparatus has reached its destination, if it is desired to set the same up it is simply necessary to place the parts in the position seen in Fig. 1. The dowels or studs 32 are preferably provided with threaded sockets extending upwardly from their lower faces for receiving the threaded stems 35 of casters 36, said threaded stems being movable independently of the caster for adjusting the cabinet vertically and is provided with a suitable handpiece 38 for the purpose of facilitating this adjustment.

The music-sheet 2 is-mount'e'd upon a roller 39 at one side of a tracker 40,- the free end of the music-sheet being detachably connected to a second roller 41 at the opposite side of the tracker, the upper surface of the tracker forming a bearing for the music-sheet and also serving-to tension the same during its feed from one roller to the other. These rollers 39 and 41 are mounted in the music-box 18, the roller 39 being regarded as the rewinding-roller and the roller 41 as the winding-roller, the roller 39 being removably supported upon hearings or studs 42 and 43, one of which, 42, is jou rnaled in a bracket 44, and the other is journaled in a bracket 45 and is movable lengthwise against the action of the spring 46, the opposite ends of the roller being provided with sockets for receiving the adjacent ends of the spindles 42 and 43.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that when it is desired to insert the music-roll 39 in position one end is engaged with the spindle 43 and moved lengthwise against the action of the spring 46, and the other end is then alined with and engaged with the spindle 42, whereupon the spring 46 automatically clamps the roller in position and at the same time permits its free revoluble movement. The spindle 42 is provided with a pinion47, and the other roller 41 is mounted upon a spindle 48, to which is secured a gear 49, of greater diameter than the pinion 47.

Mounted in the base of the musicbox 18 is a slidin frame 50, upon which is mounted a revolub le shaft 51, carrying a gear 52 and a pinion 53, the gear 52 being adapted to mesh with the pinion 47 when the sliding frame is moved in one direction, and the pinion 53'is arranged to mesh with the gear 49 when the frame is movedto its other position. The pinion 53 is of less diameter than the gear 49. for the purpose of imparting a slow movement to the winding-roller 41, and the gear 52 is of greater diameter than the pinion 47 for the purpose of imparting a more rapid movement to the roller 39 during the operation of rewinding the mechanism. This sliding frame 50 and the gears mounted thereon constitute the reverse-feed mechanism, said sliding movement bein effected by a handpiece 55, connected to the frame and extending through the front wall of the music-box, so that said frame may be moved without opening the music-box. The driving mechanism previously mentioned is preferably connected directly to the shaft 51 for transmitting revoluble motion thereto, and consists of a motor 56 and a train of gearing 57, the last gear of the train being connected to a sprocket-wheel 58, provided upon the shaft 51,by power-transmitting meehanism, as chains 59 and 60. The motor and the several gears of the train of the driving mechanism are mounted upon spindles 61, 62, 63, and 64, which are disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane, one in advance of the other, upon a supportingframe 65, the spindle 64 being provided with a governor 66 for controlling the speed of movement of the driving mec ianism.

The motor 56 consists of a spring which is 'rewound when desired by a crank or equiva-.

' when desired to remove the paneI 2-1, a pawl or ratchet 69 being provided-t0 offset the tension of the sprlng of the motor. In order that the operator may be able to control the movement of the driving mechanism, I provide a brake-shoe 70, which is connected to a manually-operated lever 71 and is adapted to engage mfriction-disk 70, provided upon the governor-spindle, the upper end of the lever 71 being provided with a handpiece 72, projecting through a slot in the front wall of the music-box 18.

The tracker 40 is provided with a series of operating-vents 75, which communicate with and are partsof the ducts 9 and cooperate with the perforations in the music-sheet to effect the operation of the key-operating pneuinatics in a mannerhereinafter described. In order thatthe operating-vents may be properly registered with the apertures of the moving music-sheet, I preferably support the tracker'in such manner as to be adjusted longitudinally. Any ineans may be employed for effecting this adjustment; but I preferably use a screw 76, movable in a threaded aperture in the bracket45 and having its inner end engaged with the adjacent end face of the bridge, the outer end of said screw'being provided with a handpiece for rotating the same and adjusting the tracker in one direction against the action of the spring 77, said spring having one end con- "nected to the tracker and its other end connected toa fixed shoulder '78, whereby the.

tracker is held in engagement with the-end face of the adjusting-screw 76. This adjustment of the tracker also serves as a means to transpose the key of the selection being played byshifting the position of the vents so as to aline with dif'lerent rows of apertures in the music-sheet. 5

In order to economize in the space and to' balance the case as: much as possible, I preferably arrange the driving mechanism, including the motor, the train of gearing connected thereto, and the governor, between the air-pumps and the air-chests at the rear of the cut-out 20.

' The air-pumps 3 and 4 may be of any desired construction for-partially exhaustin the air from the equalizing-chamber 5 am air-chests 6, 7, and-8, as well as the ducts 9. I preferably construct these air-pumps 3 and 4, however, in the form of bellows arranged horizontally end to end and mounted upon a cross-bar 79 beneath the driving mechanism, and the equalizing-chamber 5 is also constructed. in the form of a bellows of less volume than either of the bellows 3 or 4, said equalizing-chamberebeing connected to the bellows 3 through the medium of an air passage or chamber 80 and branch passages 81 and 82. The movable wall of the said bellows 3 is provided with apertures 83 and a valve 84 upon its outer face for the purpose of closing the passages 83 upon each outward stroke ot'the movable wall of said bellows, the object of this bellows being to exhaust the air from the equalizing-chamber 5 and also from the air-chests 6, 7, and 8 and ducts 9.

The bellows 4 is similar in construction to the bellows 3 and is operated for the same purpose, both of these bellows being connected to pedals 88 by straps 89, said pedals being mounted upon the base 1 7 The equalizing-chamber 5 is provided with apertures 90 and a valve 91, arranged and connected to permit the exhaustion of air therefrom by the bellows 4, as the same is operated by the edal 88 connected thereto, the movable wall of the equalizing-chamber forming one of the walls of the bellows 4. The object of this equal zhig-chamber is to create a uniform suction in the air-chests 6, 7, and 8 and conduits 9, so that the stroke of the key-operating pne'umatics is always substantially uniform even though the operation of the pedals may temporarily cease. The conduit 80.forms a common channel for the circulation of air through the medium of the bellows 3 and f1 and equalizing-chainher 5 and is connected by an upright conduit or pas- ,sage 92 to corresponding ends of the air chambers 6, 7, and 8,s'aid air-chests being arranged one above the other and above the conduit 80 and bellows 3 and 4 andequalizing-chamber 5 and are also disposed in a plane above the driving mechanism and areprovided with registering wind-ports for direct communication between their exhaustchambers, presently described.

Theseveral air-chests .6, 7, and 8 are substantially identical in construction, and it will therefore be necessary to describe only one. As seen in the drawings, particularly Fig. 5, each of these air-chests is composed of lower, upper, and side walls 93, 94, 9 5, and 96,-arranget'l in separated relation to each other for forming an interior exhaust-ehamher or main passage 97, which are in direct communication at one end with each other with the upright conduit 92 through the registering wind-ports, and are common to the valves which they inclose; The lower wall 93 is provided with a series of pockets 99, above each of which and between the adjacent faces of the bottom wall 93 and side walls 95 and 96 are secured primary pneumatics, as diaphragms 100, adapted to be operated independently of each other, the pockets in ,free movement ofthe diaphragms.

for each diaphragm, the connection between the pneumatics 10 and the. chamber 97 being normally closed by metallic valves 104, which are centrally balanced upon balancingpins 105, having their lower ends loosely resting upon the upper face of the diaphragms 100 in such manner that the valves are automatically seated by their own gravity. These valv'es and their balancing-pins cooperating 'with-their respective diaphragms form an essential feature of my invention, and I preferably connect the channels 102.w1'th the atmospherethrou h apertures 105, formed in the upper wall 0 the channel and adapted to receive the upper ends of the valves 104, the

central portions of each of said valves being lar valve-seat u sage 105, this atter passage 105 normally constructed in the form of an inverted cone, and its base is usually substantially flat for engaging the valve-seat at the upper end of the passage 101 and also for engaging a simi on the lower end of the pas,-

permitting the entrance of air into the pneumatics 10, there being one of these apertures for each pneumatic, and during the registration of a perforation in the music-sheet with one of the vents 75 this valve is operated to close the 'assage 105. and to open the passage 101 or permitting the partial exhaus tion of the air from the corresponding pneumatic 10, and thereby causing the same to collapse for the purpose of operating its finger 1 1' or 12 toactuate the key of the instrument.

As previously stated, the several vents 75 of the tracker 40 constitute the 0 en ends of v the ducts 9, the opposite ends 0 said ducts terminating in branches 106 and 107, leading, respectively, to the interior of the airchests at opposite sides of their respective diaphragms 100 for the purpose of equalizing the airpressure at. both sides of the diaphragm, except when one oi the perforations of the music-sheet is registered with one of the vents.

- The branch duct 106 preferably communicates with the interior ofthe chest'beneath its diaphragm andis usually 6f eater crosssectional area than the branch not 107, the object of this ine uality the cross-sectional area of the branc ducts bein topermit the free inflow of the air through t e vent and its corresponding duct 9 beneath its diaphragm when one of the perforations of the musicsheet is registered with said vent. Each of these diaphragms is provided with a central bearing 108, of fiber or equivalent material, and adapted to receive and support the balancing-pins 105 to prevent injury to the diaphra m. Each of these valves 104 is provide with a tapering socket to receive the up er end of its balancing-pin 105, which is' of ess diameter than the socket and permits a free universal rocking movement of the valve in order that the same may readily seat itself, either upon the lower or upper seat, previously referred to, the balancingpins 105 being guided in suitable metal bushings 100 in bars 100".

In this class of instruments it is necessary for the valve 104 to positively close the passages 101 and 105 in order that the action of the key-operating pneumatic controlled thereby may be positive and effective, and I therefore provide one of the passages, as the upper passa e 105, with an adjustable seat, consistlng o the lower end of a threaded metal bushing 104, movable in an up er plate 109 of each air chest. \Vhen t is metal bushing or seat is used, I provide the upper face of the base of the valve 104 with a suitable-facing of leather or similar material, so that the passage 105 will be positively closed when the valve is seated against the lower end of the bushing. The channels 102 are formed the upper face of the plates 94, being enlarg d at their inner ends for permittin the free'operation of the valves 104, and

eac is separate from the other and connects the interior of its respective key-operating pneumatics with the correspondin passa es- 101 and 105, when the correspon ing va ve 104' is actuated to permit such connection. It will be noted that the packing or seat at the up er end of the passage 101 is secured to the plate, 94 and not to the valve, and therefore it is not easily dis laced, while the packing on the upper face 0 the valve is held- 1n place by the central portion of the valve extending therethrough.

Referring to the key operating fingers, I employ two series, those of 'one being of greater length than the fingers of the other series, and the key-engaging faces of the fingers of the longer series are wider than the corresponding faces of the fingers of the shorter'series, these fingers being arranged side by side and are pivoted at their corresponding ends to any suitable fixed support beneath the lower series of secondar pneumatics 10 and are held in their normal up positions by the springs, 116.

- The tracker 40 being movable lengthwise is connected to the air-chests 6, 7, and 8 by flexible conduits 110, tions of the ducts 9 and-are connected to the vents by vertical apertures'in the bridgp,

also formmg continuations of the vents, t

lower endof the flexible conduits 10 being connected to the branch ducts 106 and 107.

which form continuatracker with opposite lengthwise grooves 111,

' vertically and which receive suitable plates 112, secured to the bottom wall of the music-box, as seen in The several air-chests are clamped to each other at one end by a clam )ing-bolt 113, the opposite ends being similarly clamped to each other and to the support 7T9 and equalizing-chamber 5 by clamping-b0 t 1 14, passed upwardly through the conduit 92, which is formed in a post or supporting-piece 115 for holding the series of airjchests in separated relation to the lower 'wall79.

The fingers 11 and 12 are connected at one end by suitable hinges 116 to the upper wall of the lower air-chest 8 and are held in their normal up position by springs 116, their free ends being provided with pads 117, ada ted to engage the keys, as 118, of the musica instrument.

operatingpneumatics 10 by rods 118, said neumatics being )referably in the form of a ellows, having t cir upper walls movable and connected to their respective rods 118 by adjustable shou'lders 119 in such position that as the movable wall of the pneumatic 10 is operated the. corresponding finger connected thereto is also actuated to operate its to'corresponding key, the springs 116 serving return the fingers to their normal positions.

The means or controlling the expression preferably consists of the devices 13, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and'10, there being preferabl two of these devices-one for the loud peda and one for,the soft pedal. Each of these devices consists of a rock-shaft 1'20, an upright bar 121, a edal-engaging member 122, and a manual y-operated lever 123,- the rock-shaft 120 being journaled u on the lower side of the case 15 and provi ed with an arm 124, adjustabl'y secured to the upright bar 121 in such marmer that as the'shafit 120 is rocked by means of the lever 123, whichis also seecured to the rock-shaft, the bar 121 is reciprocated verticall Adjusi fuly secured to the lower end oft is bar 121 is a bracket 125,

held in osition by a set-screwl26and pro-' jecting aterally from said bar, the outer end of the bracket being provided with a socket in which is adjustably secured the pedal-engaging member 122, which is held in position by a set-screw 126 It is evident upon refence to the description and drawings the pedal engagin member 122 is adjustable horizontally and the rod 121 being mounted upon the free end of the arm 124 1n such manner as torotate thereon the member 122 is also free to swing horizontally aside from its vertical and horizontal adjustmerit, the object of this swinging movement 'being to permit the shift of the member 122 (Not shown.) These fingers 11- and 12 are connected to their respective keycent, is: 1

to either pedal of the instrument and the object of the vertical and horizontal adjustment being to adapt the device to pianos of various makes. i

The upper ends of the levers 123 are provided with handpieces 128, which project through slots in the panel 21 to the outside of the case, by which the operator may readily control the expression of the instrument during the execution of any selection.

In the operation of my improved playin apparatus the spring-motor is first tensione and then the handpiece 72 is rocked to the left from the position seen in Fig. 1 for the. purpose of releasing the brake and ermit. ting the operation of the driving mec anism connected to the feed-rollers of the musicsheet, the frame 50 being previously adjusted to feed the music-sheet from the roller 39 to the roller 41. *During this movement of the music-sheet the pedals 88 are actuated by the operator to exhaust the air from the equalizing-chamber 5, air-chests 6, 7, and 8,

and ducts 9, it being apparent that by withdrawing the air from the chambers 97 it is similarly withdrawn from the ducts 9 and the branch ducts 106 and 107 at opposite sides of the diaphragm. As soon as a perforation of the music-sheet is registered with one of the vents of one of the ducts the air im mediately passes down through that particular' duct and throughthe branch duct 106 of greater cross-sectional area beneath the corresponding diaphragm 100, whereupon the partial vacuum in the chamber 97 causes the diaphragm to instantly elevate, carrying the balancing 'pin and elevating the valve 104 to open the passage 101. and close the passage 105, thereby causing a partial vacuum' in the corresponding pneumatic 10 through the channel 102 and passage 103, this vacuum in the pneumatic 10 causing it to immediately collapse and to operate a finger connected thereto for actuating a corres -onding key of the musical instrument. In hire manner all of the pneumatics may be operated as the several perforations of the innsic-sheet are. resented to the vents 75, corresponding wit the particular pneumatic to be operated.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description andythe accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that some change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit thereof and that I am entie tledto all substantial equivalents of any element of my structure.

.. Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to 1. In a pneumatlc self-playing musical instrument the, combination of a plurality of separable valve shelves having exhaustsecure by L'etters Pat chambers and registering ,wind-ports for direct communication between said exhaustchambers and a means assed through. said registering ports for c amping the valveshelves together.

- 2. Ina pneumatic self-playing musical instrument the combination of a plurality of separable valve-shelves disposed one above the other and provided with re istering windports in contiguous sides, sai valve-shelves iavi'ng exhaust chambers communicating with each Other through said registering windports and a clam ing-bolt assed through the registering win -ports or clamping the shelves together.

3. In a pneumatic selflaying musical instrument a plurality shelves each inclosing a group of valves and an exhaust-chamber whichis common to the valves which it incloses, said shelves having registering wind-ports for direct commu'nica;

tion between the exhaust-chambers.

4. In a pneumatic selflaying musical instrument a plurality of separable valveshelves each inclosing. a group of valves and an exhaust-chamber which is common to the valves which it incloses, said shelves having registering wind-ports for direct communication between the exhaust chambers, and means passed throu h said re istering ports for clamping the she ves together.

5. In a pneumatic selflaying musical instrument a plurality 0 separable valveshelves each having an exhaust-chamber inclosing a definite group of valves, said shelves being provided with registering windorts in contiguous sides near one end for ect communication between the exhaust-chain bers and means for clamping said shelves together.

6. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of separable valve-shelves spaced apart one above the other and having connected registering wind-ports in contiguous sides for direct communication between the interiors of said shelves, each shelf inclosing a definite group of valves, and an exhaustchamber common to the valves which it incloses and. including a valve-board coextensive with its exhaust-chamber, said valveboard having a series of channels one for each valve, in combination with a series ofstrikerpneumatics each in communication with-one of said channels.

7. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of separable valve-shelves each containing a definite group of valves and an exhaust chamber common to the valves which it incloses, said valve-shelves having separable valveregistering wind-ports for direct comniunicavalve-seats each adjustably mounted in one of said ports.

8. In an instrument of the class described,-

' a plurality of valve-shelves spaced apart one above the other, each containing a definite group of valves and an exhaust-chamber common to the valves which it incloses, said valveshelves having connected registering wind-ports fordirect communication between the exhaust-chambers, a group of primary pneumatics one for each valve, a series' 7 5 of tubes permanently secured in each valveshelf and each connected to one of the pri- V mary pneumatics, each of theupper shelves having an opening therethrough in vertical alineinent with the tubes of the next lower {50 shelf, in combination with a tracker and flexible conduits leading from the tracker through the openings/ in the upper shelves and attached to the tubes of the lower shelves,

whereby the adjacent ends of the flexible conduits are held in fixed relation to the tubes to which they are attached.

9. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of separable valve-shelves each inclosing a definite group of valves and a cor- 0 res ondin number of rimary pneumatics an also avin an e' aust-chamber common to the va ves which it incloses, said shelves having registering windorts for direct communication between tie exhaust- 5 chambers, and means to clamp the shelves together, in combination with a tracker hav ing its ducts connected to-tlieir respective primary pneumatics, and a series of strikerpneumatics each valves.

1,0. In a piano-player, the combination with a series of finger-levers each operatively connected with a motor and an individual valve mechanism for controlling the same; of '105 a plurality of separable valve-shelves, each inclosing a definitenumber of said valves and each comprising a vacuum-chamber common to the valves which it incloses and, registered wind-ports in the respective valve-shelves, no

controlled by one of said 

